Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (July 24 – 30)
After all those hot dogs, burgers, steaks and ribs, we’re in need of fresh produce—big time. Luckily, there’s more to enjoy in the summertime than grilled meat. Case in point: these seven vegetarian dinners that star seasonal fruits and veggies and alternative sources of protein, like beans and cheese. Read on for this week’s menu, which ranges from a ten-minute grilled cheese sandwich to hearty meatless chili.
44 Summer Vegetarian Recipes to Last You All Season
Shopping List
RossHelen/Getty Images
Produce
3 ounces blackberries
1 peach
2 ears corn
2 pounds new potatoes
2 large zucchini
3 medium tomatoes
2 lemons
15 ounces frozen peas
8 garlic cloves
2 limes
1 jalapeño
3 avocados
1 large shallot
½ pound green beans
4 ounces baby arugula
1 English cucumber
1 large white onion
2 large (or 4 small) poblano peppers
1 large sweet potato
6 ounces frozen corn
1 bunch basil
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch dill
3 bunches cilantro
1 bunch radishes
Meat
6 large eggs
Dairy
1 stick unsalted butter
1 ounce goat cheese
2 ounces fontina cheese
2 ounces Emmentaler cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
4 ounces feta cheese
Sour cream, for serving
Grains
2 thick slices sourdough bread
1 pound bite-size pasta
Canned and Packaged Goods
Sesame seeds
3 ounces panko breadcrumbs
Two 15-ounce cans black beans
One 15-ounce can corn kernels
6 ounces Niçoise olives
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
32 ounces vegetable broth
One 15-ounce can chickpeas
Pantry Ingredients: cayenne pepper, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, all-purpose flour, avocado oil, garlic powder, ground cumin, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, red curry paste, chili powder, ground coriander
Monday: Blackberry-Peach Grilled Cheese
This creamy, dreamy handheld is only seven ingredients away. Not only is the sammy oozing with three types of cheese (goat! fontina! Emmentaler!), but it’s also loaded with sweet-tart summer produce. Substitute plums, nectarines, raspberries or blueberries for blackberries and peaches if you feel so inclined.
Tuesday: Easy 5-Ingredient Corn Soup
If you have time to boil corn on the cob, this ridiculously simple soup is within reach. Pureed with potatoes for a thick, creamy consistency, the dish is crowned with toasted brown butter sesame seeds for good measure. Serve it with crusty bread for dunking (and a glass of white).
Wednesday: Grilled Zucchini Caprese Salad
Tomatoes, basil and fresh mozz are a timeless combination. Add charred summer zucchini and a drizzle of zingy balsamic to the mix, and you’ve got a caprese for the books. Pair it with baguette, dressed arugula, cold soup or your favorite grain.
Thursday: Spring Pea Fritters with Whipped Feta
It may look like an appetizer, but these photo-worthy fritters contain 17 grams of protein in every serving. Filled with fresh dill and lemon zest, the crispy pea patties are the ultimate match for tangy, fluffy feta. Your resident picky eater just might be converted at first bite.
Friday: Avocado and Black Bean Pasta Salad
Dinner is only 20 minutes away, friend. This dish can be served warm immediately after mixing, or you can make the pasta salad a day ahead and serve it cold (which will allow the noodles to soak up every drop of the lime-cilantro dressing). Add chickpeas or crumbled cotija to make it even more filling.
Saturday: Veggie Niçoise Salad with Red Curry Green Beans
Sure, Parisians top their Niçoise salad with canned tuna, but we promise you won’t be mad about the extra veggies. Potatoes and hard-boiled eggs provide protein, while curry-kissed green beans and a zingy shallot dressing pack the dish with flavor.
Sunday: Vegetarian Chili
Let your pantry (and freezer) shine with this one-pot wonder that calls for crushed tomatoes, canned chickpeas, canned black beans and frozen corn. Place the chili on the picnic table alongside bowls of chopped avocado, sour cream and fresh cilantro, then let your guests assemble their own bowls.
The 17 Best Summer Vegetables to Grow This Year
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.
